Comparative Effects of Probiotic, Prebiotic, L-Arginine, and Fenugreek on Some Quality Criteria of Fermented Red Meat Pâtè

Abstract

The different combinations of bioactive compounds, probiotics (Streptococcus thermophilus ATCC 19258 and Lactobacillus bulgaricus BAA-2844), prebiotic (fructooligosaccharides, FOS), fenugreek, and L-arginine, were added to the pâtė meat. Some pâtė meats were contaminated with Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14028 and Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 7644. Fermentation was applied only to batches containing ‘probiotic’ or ‘probiotic and prebiotic’ at two different temperatures, 22 and 37°C. Although fermentation at 37°C in combination with the additions of ‘probiotics, prebiotic and arginine’ and ‘probiotics, prebiotic and fenugreek’ resulted in 2.51 and 2.36 log (cfu/g) reductions on total mesophile aerobic bacterial (TMAB) counts, respectively, these treatments lowered the pH values of pâtė below 4.20 on the 22nd day of storage and caused an uncontrolled fermentation with a sourish taste. On the other hand, the combined additions of ‘probiotics, prebiotic, fenugreek and arginine’ or ‘probiotics, prebiotic and arginine’ or ‘probiotic, prebiotic and fenugreek’ in combination with fermentation at 22°C, caused reductions on TMAB counts between 1.01-1.09 log (cfu/g) with a constant bacteriostatic effect, and extended shelf life 10 days while improving the sensory quality. The addition of fenugreek inhibited Listeria monocytogenes more whereas the antimicrobial effect of L-arginine was more significant on Salmonella Typhimurium. The antimicrobial effect of adding the bioactive compounds in combination with fermentation at 22°C could eliminate the pathogens in the contaminated pâtė meat batches, causing 5.91 and 6.11 log (cfu/g) reductions on the counts of Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes, respectively.